Make restaurant-worthy Kung Pao chicken at home with this top-rated recipe.
What Is Kung Pao Chicken?
Kung Pao chicken (a.k.a. Gong Bao or Kung Po) is a stir-fried Chinese dish that consists of cubed chicken in a sweet, spicy, and savory sauce. It originated in southwestern China in the early 1800s.
What Is In Kung Pao Chicken?
This Kung Pao chicken recipe consists of cubed chicken breasts soaked in a marinade (made with cornstarch, water, white wine, soy sauce, and sesame oil) and tossed in a sweet-savory sauce (made with hot chili paste, brown sugar, white vinegar, water chestnuts, peanuts, onions, and garlic).
Tips:
· Use Shaoxing wine if you have it on hand.
· You can substitute cashews for peanuts and bamboo shoots for the water chestnuts.
· If you want, you can add cubed red and green bell peppers for color and flavor.
How to Make Kung Pao Chicken
You'll find the full, step-by-step recipe below — but here's a brief overview of what you can expect when you make this top-rated Kung Pao chicken:
1. Make the marinade, then marinate chicken in the fridge.
2. Make the chili paste-brown sugar sauce. Add the remaining ingredients and cook.
3. Cook the marinated chicken in a skillet until it's cooked through.
4. Add the chicken to the chili paste-brown sugar sauce.
5. Continue cooking until the sauce thickens.
What to Serve With Kung Pao Chicken
This Kung Pao chicken pairs perfectly with plain rice, but you can kick things up a notch with one of these top-rated Chinese-inspired side dishes:
· Egg Drop Soup
· Easy Fried Rice
· Chinese Broccoli
Allrecipes Community Tips and Recipes
"Easy to make and amazing flavors," according to one Allrecipes community member. "Preparation is everything as there is a lot of chopping. I added celery and a touch of ginger. Nice touch."
"I made this by adding red bell pepper and chopped onion (didn't have green onions) because that's what our favorite Chinese restaurant does," says Lucy. "I also had to substitute garlic chili sauce for the chili paste."
"I added broccoli, scallions, green pepper, and lightly salted dry roasted peanuts and it was amazing," raves Shirley R. Ritter.
Editorial contributions by Corey Williams
Ingredients
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2 tablespoons cornstarch, dissolved in 2 tablespoons water
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2 tablespoons white wine, divided
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2 tablespoons soy sauce, divided
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2 tablespoons sesame oil, divided
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1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cut into chunks
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1 ounce hot chili paste
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2 teaspoons brown sugar
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1 teaspoon distilled white vinegar
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1 (8 ounce) can water chestnuts
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4 ounces chopped peanuts
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4 green onions, chopped
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1 tablespoon chopped garlic
Directions
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Gather all ingredients.
![Ingredients to make kung pao chicken]()
Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
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Combine water and cornstarch in a cup; set aside.
![A bowl of water and cornstarch]()
Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
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Combine 1 tablespoon wine, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 tablespoon sesame oil, and 1 tablespoon cornstarch/water mixture in a large glass bowl. Add chicken pieces and toss to coat. Cover the dish and refrigerate for about 30 minutes.
![A bowl of pieces of chicken in a soy-sesame marinade]()
Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
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Combine remaining 1 tablespoon wine, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 tablespoon sesame oil, and remaining cornstarch/water mixture in a medium bowl. Whisk in chili paste, brown sugar, and vinegar. Add water chestnuts, peanuts, green onions, and garlic and toss to coat.
![A bowl of water chestnuts, peanuts, green onions, and garlic in a soy-chili sauce]()
Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
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Transfer water chestnut mixture to a medium skillet. Heat slowly over medium heat until aromatic.
![A pan with the marinated peanuts, water chestnuts, and green onions being stirred with a rubber spatula]()
Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
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Meanwhile, transfer chicken from marinade into a large skillet; cook over medium-high heat, stirring, until chicken is cooked through and juices run clear.
![A pan with marinated pieces of cooked chicken breast]()
Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
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Combine water chestnut mixture and sautéed chicken together in one skillet. Adjust heat and simmer together until sauce thickens.
![A bowl of kung pao chicken served over white rice, garnished with chopped peanuts and sliced green onions]()
Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
Editor's Note:
The nutrition data for this recipe includes information for the full amount of the marinade ingredients. Depending on marinating time, ingredients, cooking method, etc., the actual amount of the marinade consumed will vary.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
| 437 | Calories |
| 23g | Fat |
| 25g | Carbs |
| 34g | Protein |
| Nutrition Facts | |
|---|---|
| Servings Per Recipe 4 | |
| Calories 437 | |
| % Daily Value * | |
| Total Fat 23g | 30% |
| Saturated Fat 4g | 19% |
| Cholesterol 66mg | 22% |
| Sodium 596mg | 26% |
| Total Carbohydrate 25g | 9% |
| Dietary Fiber 4g | 15% |
| Total Sugars 7g | |
| Protein 34g | 69% |
| Vitamin C 6mg | 6% |
| Calcium 49mg | 4% |
| Iron 2mg | 13% |
| Potassium 621mg | 13% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.
(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.
